Bejeweled
by DJFireHawk
Summary: Belinda Baggins is more like her mother than anyone knew. Gandalf invites her on a quest where she makes friends, learns about dwarf culture, and maybe even finds love. Though no small amount of chaos and adventure will surely be found as well. Fem!Bilbo, Bagginshield, and more.
1. First Meetings

Bejeweled

Summary: Belinda Baggins is more like her mother than anyone knew. Gandalf invites her on a quest where she makes friends, learns about dwarf culture, and maybe even finds love. Though no small amount of chaos and adventure will surely be found as well. Fem!Bilbo, Bagginshield, and more.

A/N: My Bilbo is a female named Belinda…and she's more like her Took mother Belladonna so she has more of an attitude/backbone than Bilbo. This story will involve pairing her with Thorin eventually but not before others try to gain her favor ^.^

Chapter 1

Belinda Baggins of Hobbiton was a perfectly respectable Hobbit. She never went on adventures or did anything unexpected. Her life was completely normal…and sometimes she grew quite restless but she always stamped it down and went about her normal routine. To be honest she had been fond of adventuring and mischief as a small, but after losing her parents she'd been forced to grow up and quickly. She had learned to live with an empty home, to cook for herself, to keep everything nice and clean, to tend her little garden, to go to the market, and to mend her own clothing. She even learned to be subtly sarcastic to people she didn't like and unfortunately had to learn how to steal back whatever silverware Lobelia Sackville-Baggins tried to make off with after a visit.

It was a fine sunny day, while she was tending to her little garden, that a tall man cloaked in grey robes with a pointed hat and a large walking stick stopped outside of her gate. She looked up at him and frowned slightly in confusion.

"Good Morning sir."

The man's reply was nothing short of confusing and it took her mind several moments to try and sort through it.

"What do you mean? Do you mean to wish me a good morning, or do you mean that it is a good morning whether I want it or not, or perhaps that you feel good on this particular morning, or do you simply mean that it is a morning to be good on?"

Her face crinkled in her confusion and she huffed softly before replying in a slightly hesitant voice.

"All of them at once…I suppose. Can I help you with something?"

"That remains to be seen. I'm looking for someone to share in an adventure."

Belinda's eyes widened slightly and she started to shake her head but a soft voice in the back of her mind, sounding suspiciously like her long-deceased mother, urged her to reconsider her choice. She looked up at the man with a soft smile of amusement on her lips.

"You do realize that you are in Hobbiton? The land of the ever-dull and non-adventurous Hobbits?"

She could see the man's lips twitching as if fighting back a smile and decided to add more, only to have him interrupt her first.

"I see. Does this mean that you are not interested Belinda? Here I thought you'd inherited more of your mother's side of the family."

She could hear his amusement and let out a soft huffing laugh before tilting her head at him.

"Before I answer your question I must ask one of my own. How do you know me, or my mother for that matter?"

The man's eyes crinkled as he smiled and Belinda found herself smiling back.

"You know my name my dear, though you do not remember that I belong to it. I am Gandalf and Gandalf means…me."

Belinda's eyes lit up as a soft laugh escaped her.

"The wandering wizard? The one with the fireworks?"

At his nod she gave him a small curtsy and grinned.

"Well then…In that case I will indeed join you on your…adventure Mister Gandalf."

Gandalf's grin widened and he chuckled softly.

"Most excellent my dear. I shall return around supper time with the rest of the company…thirteen in all. I do hope you have plenty of meat on hand."

With those words the wizard motioned her into her house and after she closed the door he carved a small mark on it. Belinda immediately went to get her market bag and set off to go and buy some more meats. Once she had arrived back home she started preparing everything she'd need. She managed, barely, to drag her extra table into the dining room to make on long table out of two. Upon this long table she set out any food items that did not require cooking or baking to be eaten. There were vegetables with her special herbal dipping sauce, biscuits and honey, breads and jams. She had several ovens and a very large stove, always handy when her took cousins came to visit, so she had no difficulty in cooking many kinds of meats at once. She had roasted pork, sautéed fish, perfectly seared steaks, and plenty of bacon. She even went so far as to set several kinds of pies into the ovens to start baking. She had just finished laying out all but the pies, which she'd placed on a windowsill to cool for a bit, when a loud knock came at her door.

Belinda checked her dress and hair, a mass of soft honey-gold curls that cascaded down her back, before opening the door. What she found on the other side was a rather intimidating dwarf, partially bald and tattooed with a very large war-hammer in his hands.

"Dwalin, At your service."

Belinda gave him a bow and returned the greeting.

"Belinda Baggins, at yours. If you'll follow me I'll show you to the dining room. I'm sure you've traveled a long way and are likely quite hungry. I have plenty for you to choose from."

As they reached the dining room she was rather amused to see the intimidating dwarf take on a rather stunned look before turning to her.

"Ye cooked all this yerself Lassie?"

"Of course I did…Do you see anyone else in here?"

She had to bite her tongue to hold back a giggle as he actually looked around for a moment before his hunger took control and led him to the food. She stood in the doorway and watched in horrified fascination as he practically inhaled an entire fish in mere seconds. She heard the bell ring and sighed softly as she went to answer it. An older dwarf with snow white hair stood on the threshold and introduced himself as Balin. She was about to lead him to the dining room when Dwalin stepped into view and the two exchanged a rather amusing greeting before sharply butting heads, making Belinda wince though she was surprised they seemed to feel nothing.

"Is that normal for dwarves?"

"Is what normal Lass?"

Dwalin looked confused as she motioned to their heads and Balin chuckled softly and answered her query.

"Aye lass. We dwarves have very thick skulls. Siblings often greet each other like that…form of affection really."

Belinda eyed them oddly as they headed back towards the dining room and she shook her head as the bell rand yet again. The two dwarves on the other side this time appeared to be rather young, and quite cute for that matter. She lost her fight to hold back a soft laugh as they introduced themselves and bowed in unison.

"Well aren't you two just adorable? Come on then. I imagine you boys are hungry and there is enough food in my dining room to feed a small army."

The mention of food was all it took to have both young dwarves dropping their things by the door and racing each other to the food, much to Belinda's amusement. They reminded her of some of her Took cousins when mushrooms were mentioned. She once again stood in the doorway and observed the horrid table manners that she was beginning to realize were common for dwarves. She was about to say something when another knock sounded on the door and she huffed a bit as she went to open it, only to have a large group of dwarves literally tumbled into her entryway. A highly amused Gandalf was standing behind them and chuckling as the little Hobbit shook her head at the Dwarf-pile on her carpet.

"Oh my…you weren't kidding when you said a company were you Gandalf? Well then…up you lot get. I'd suggest you hurry to the dining room before the other four inhale all of the food."

No sooner had the word food left her lips did they all take off, skidding and bumping into each other in their haste to get fed. Belinda shook her head and frowned as food went flying across the room and landed in beard.

"They have no table manners whatsoever Gandalf…well…the older one Balin seems to be a tad more refined but honestly."

The disgusted look on her face actually caused several of the dwarves to tone it down a bit and try to eat a bit less like starving dogs. This mollified the hobbit lass a bit and she shook her head softly. A quick head count showed her they were one short and she quickly snatched portions of food, piling them on a plate with she set into a slightly warm oven so the late member could eat as well that night. As one of the dwarves walked by trying to use a doily to clean a mug she snapped a bit.

"That is a doily not a dishcloth."

"But it's full of holes."

"It's supposed to look like that, it's crochet."

"Oh and a wonderful game it is too…If you've got the balls for it."

She managed to turn and hide her grin as Gandalf thumped the one with the funny hat, on the top of the head with the end of his staff.

"Choose your words more wisely in the company of a lady Master Bofur."

As the youngest of the dwarves came up to her and asked about his plate the other two young ones started throwing her late mother's favorite dishes through the air. Poor Belinda nearly had a fit and screeched at them as the dwarves all started singing about things she hates. By the time their song was over she was torn between the urge to strangle them all and the urge to cry in relief that nothing seemed to have been broken. Gandalf seemed about to say something to her when three loud bangs echoed through her home from the direction of the door. A silence fell over the previously rowdy dwarves and everyone headed for the door, Belinda behind Gandalf in the lead. As the wizard opened the door a broad back was revealed, clad in a furred cloak of a deep blue. Belinda found herself admiring both the workmanship of the cloak, as well as the obvious strength in the braod shouldered back that it was draped over. As the new dwarf turned around Gandalf introduced him to her.

"Belinda my dear. This is Thorin Oakenshield, the leader of this company."

The dwarf looked down at her with obvious contempt as he circled her.

"So…this is the Hobbit? Tell me Miss Baggins…have you done much fighting? Axe or sword? Which is your weapon of choice?"

Belinda gave him a sharp glare that had all of the younger dwarves backing away from her, and a couple of the older ones as well.

"First off you have entered into MY home so I suggest you mind your manners and cease with being so rude. Secondly I use neither axe nor sword…I prefer the bow actually."

Thorin looked taken-aback for a moment at her sharp tone before giving his snickering nephews a sharp look that only made them snicker louder. He opened his mouth to speak but the hobbit cut him off, shocking him yet again.

"Thirdly…if you can manage to be civil for a few moments I managed to save you a plate of food."

Belinda sauntered off towards her kitchen, her little hips swaying side to side as she went and more than one dwarves head followed the movement. She threw a little smirk over her shoulder as Thorin stood gaping at her daring insolence.

"You're supposed to say Thank you…just in case you managed to forget your manners."

She vanished into kitchen as Fili and Kili looked at each other before collapsing on the ground in a fit of laughter. Thorin gave them both another glare and waved the company into the dining room, scowling at anyone that so much as grinned in his direction. Belinda sashayed back into the room and placed the plate of warm food in front of the brooding leader before skipping over to sit by a smirking Gandalf. Thorin looked over at her and gave a soft murmur of thanks before turning to the food. Belinda was pleased to see that this one at least had table manners and actually used the silverware to eat the food…not to make music. After he was done eating the discussions began about their quest and all that was involved.

When Bofur started teasing her about the dragon she almost yelled but then decided to be a bit sly and act faint and panicked. She let herself go limp, a trick she'd learned was very good at getting her mischievous cousins to stop teasing her. The ploy worked and several dwarves yelled at Bofur for frightening her so badly. Thorin glanced at Gandalf, who was making no move to go to her aid, and decided to take matters into his own hands and went to pick her up only to find her shoulders shaking in laughter. It took him quite an effort o avoid a small grin of his own when he realized she was merely tricking Bofur. The dwarf prince shook his head and went back to the table as Belinda returned to the kitchen once again…taking most of the dwarves attentions with her as they stopped listening to their leader in favor of trying to figure out what she was up to.

Belinda came into the room balancing three pies on each arm, sliding them off and onto the table with practiced ease. The dwarves eyes went wide and several hands were smacked with a spatula as they reached for the baked goodies.

"Oh no you don't…you boys want that pie you'll have to show some proper table manners first. Starting with using the silverware to eat with instead of banging it on the table."

Between Belinda's pointed glares and Thorin's raised eyebrow several dwarves shrank down and gave the hobbit maid sheepish looks.

"Sorry…we'll behave and be really polite…we promise…can we please have some pie Lady Belinda?"

Kili's adorably hopeful face did her in and Belinda laughed softly before nodding her permission. She turned to Thorin and, ignoring his harsh look, asked him a quiet question.

"Are they always like this?"

Thorin couldn't stop the smirk that crept over his lips in response, answering her in an equally soft tone.

"No…sometimes they're much worse."

Belinda giggled softly and danced away as Bofur reached out to try and grab her by the waist. She twirled away from the company and into the living room, the rest following slowly. As a deep humming started among the group she found herself feeling a bit entranced…especially when Thorin's deep, rumbling bass voice started singing a low and haunting song. The words of the song, paired with the deep sadness she could sense in all of the dwarves, made Belinda's heart ache for them all. She stood and looked Thorin in the eyes as the song ended, resting one small hand upon his arm.

"I will help you in whatever ways I am able. For tonight I can offer you all warm and soft beds to sleep in…though I'm afraid you'll have to pair up as I only have six spare rooms."

The dwarves paired up with no complaints, more excited about the warm beds than she'd thought they would be. She pointed to the hallway that the spare rooms were in and sighed softly before turning to go to her own room. Thorin's large hand on her arm stopped her and she turned to him. His deep voice was softer as he spoke.

"Thank you for your hospitality Miss Baggins. Sleep well…we leave with the sunrise."

Belinda nodded and the two went their separate ways, oblivious to the watchful eyes of a certain wizard sitting by the fire.


	2. Rainy Days and Nightmares

Bejeweled

My thanks to the following:

Echoi5004 (guest): I'm glad you like it ^.^ I'm not good at portraying timid women lols…I had to give her some 'spunk' lols.

Wolveyaon: I tried to keep the pace slower…they haven't even left the shire yet ^.^, but I'm glad you seem to like it anyway.

PadawanCassy: Thank you. I'm happy you enjoyed it so far. I have several little twists in mind for little Belinda ^.^ .

And a big thank you to all who decided to favorite and/or follow this story.

Now onto chapter 2 where the company crosses the Shire and leaves the relative safety of its borders.

Chapter 2

The next morning found the company settled upon ponies and heading across the rolling hills of the shire. Belinda was kept somewhere in the middle of the group of dwarves as most of them felt protective of her. Her pony was penned in by Fili and Kili on either side and the two younger dwarves were keeping up a steady stream of chatter, mainly asking her questions about her life and hobbits in general while insulting each other over her head. After about an hour of listening to them she dropped her pony's reins, reached into her pack for a pair of wooden spoons, and soundly thumped both princes on their heads. The resulting, and rather girly, squeaks from the two set the whole company into an uproar of laughter…even Thorin had a hard time hiding the amused smirk that wanted to curl across his lips. The two princes moved back towards the end of the line, and away from the fiery little she-hobbit. It was a still-smirking Dwalin that came up to ride beside her, giving her a nod of approval as his gruff voice echoed the sentiment.

"I've only ever seen the lads' mother…and Thorin of course, be able to silence them so quickly lass. I think ye'll do just fine in the company…just keep those spoons handy when the lads are around."

His deep chuckles echoed as he headed up the line towards Thorin and Balin. Gandalf, despite being at the very front of the line, was able to hear nearly everything and was most amused by Belinda. She clearly took after her mother more than he could have hoped.

Several hours later the boisterous mood of the company took a nose-dive as the heavens opened up and drenched them all in a heavy downpour. Belinda wasn't faring too badly, being a hobbit she was used to the Shire's weather patterns, but the dwarves appeared to be quite miserable. Dori was the first one to actually speak out about it.

"Here, Mr. Gandalf. Can't you do something about this deluge?"

The wizard's response sounded half amused and half exasperated.

"It is raining master dwarf, and it will continue to rain until the rain is done. If you want to change the weather of the world you should find yourself another wizard."

Belinda, seeing an opportunity to learn something, asked about other wizards and Gandalf was all too happy to tell her about the other four Istari. When Thorin yelled from the front for them to keep quiet Belinda opened her mouth to yell back at him, only to end up clinging to her pony in a fit of laughter. Gandalf, not taking kindly to being ordered around by a stubborn and cranky dwarf, had sent a little burst of magic from his staff and caused a tree branch that had been above Thorin's head to come down and smack him in the face. Quite a few company members were biting their lips so as not to laugh at their leader, Fili and Kili were not among them and had looked at each other before bursting into a fit along with Belinda. Gandalf and the oldest dwarf Balin were both chuckling, Gandalf with a rather smug look as Thorin scowled at him.

"Why did you do that Gandalf?"

The wizard's response managed to set off another round of laughter.

"Never anger a wizard, Thorin Oakenshield, for we are subtle and quick to anger."

It took the company only a few days to make it to the edge of the Shire, and Belinda paused to look back at the only home she'd known for her whole life. Thorin was the first to realize she had fallen behind and a deep scowl crossed his features. Dwalin was next to notice, mainly by following the line of Thorin's scowling gaze. Unlike Thorin he understood what the little Hobbit was feeling, he had felt the same after being forced out of Erebor after all. Dwalin walked his pony up alongside of her own and laid a surprisingly gentle hand on her shoulder.

"Do not worry lass. You will see these green hills again after this journey is over with. Once we reclaim our home I will personally see to it that you are safely returned to yours."

Belinda looked up at him with a bright beaming smile that he couldn't help but return. The normally rough and intimidating dwarf found himself feeling both protective, and also a bit enamored with her. She had a strong spirit with a brave and loyal heart. He only hoped Thorin would stop glaring at her and trying to find her faults long enough to see that she was an asset to the company.

As they moved on Belinda was watching the landscape and she noticed a very distinct marker, one that hobbits used to warn others away from a potentially dangerous place. She looked over at Dwalin and motioned him to move closer, whispering softly for him to get Thorin to stop now before they went too far. Dwalin gave her a confused look but he decided to trust her and went to the front where Thorin and Gandalf were talking.

"Thorin…We should take a short break and let the ponies rest for a bit."

Thorin gave Dwalin a skeptical look but nodded sharply. The company dismounted and sat in a circle to relax a bit, all save the hobbit who was far too worried to settle down. She was pacing around the outside of the group, a nervous and anxious look on her face that was making Dwalin feel uneasy. He was about to go and ask her what was wrong but Thorin beat him to it, though he still listened in so he would know what was happening.

"What is the matter with you Halfling? You've not stopped pacing since we stopped to rest."

Belinda gave Thorin a withering look, her tone more biting than the others had thought possible for the upbeat little lady.

"I am not a Halfling, Thorin Oakenshield, I am a Hobbit. Halfling is a highly insulting term."

She took a deep breath and looked towards the fog-covered plain ahead of them, a deep shiver coursing through her frame and making her entire body shake.

"We need to make camp out here tonight. If we continue now we will end up in the middle of the Downs during the dark of the night."

Thorin scowled at her, his deep voice sounding condescending and insulting.

"If you are afraid of a little fog, Hobbit, you should turn and head back home now before we run into real danger…"

He started to say more only to have his words cut off by the angry scream of an enraged little hobbit.

"Enough! You may be the leader of this company, and you may be dwarves royalty, but that does not give you the right to be so disrespectful to me. I am NOT afraid of the fog, Thorin Oakenshield, I am afraid of what dwells within the fog. Those are the Barrow-Downs…and the Barrow Wights are horrid creatures of nightmare that even the strongest dwarf would be unable to fight against."

Her words had Gandalf by her side in an instant, a look of extreme concern on his face.

"Are you certain Belinda?"

She merely nodded and pointed to the marker that had originally caught her attention. It was an odd little symbol, an x within a circle within a square, and below that the words 'Barrow Downs' were scrawled. Gandalf's eyes dimmed a bit and he gave Thorin a hard look.

"Belinda is correct. To attempt a crossing of the Barrows at night would be suicide."

"And why is that Gandalf? How dangerous can spirits really be?"

Gandalf gave Thorin a harsh glare and his voice became deeper and darker.

"The Barrow Wights are not mere spirits. They are ancient beings. They spread fog as a cover and wait for travelers to cross through it…most end up camping in the fog when they miscalculate their distances. When night falls the Wights drift silently in the fog and begin to sing a haunting melody…one that causes all who hear it to fall into a deep sleep of dreaming. The Wights will then carry the travelers off to their Barrows and suck the very life and soul from their bodies, leaving them nothing but a hollow shell."

As Gandalf was describing the Wights Belinda had curled into a very small ball against the rock the marker was carved into. His words brought back a long-surprised memory that chilled her to her very bones, racking her small frame with violent shivers. Dwalin was watching her with a concerned frown on his face as she seemed to fall into a dark place in her mind. The young princes tried to talk to her but she couldn't hear them.

"Thorin…something is wrong with little Belinda."

Dwalin's voice, filled with concern, caused both Thorin and Gandalf to look at the shaking hobbit. Gandalf's angry expression melted into one of guilty sorrow as he moved closer to her, only to have Thorin growl at him in anger of his own.

"What is wrong with her Gandalf?"

"I am afraid I spoke without thinking of her…and she is now locked within a memory that had been viciously suppressed."

Thorin moved close and lifted the still-shaking female into his arms, curling her into the warmth of his body to try and calm her shivers. The sound of his strong heartbeat was the first sound that was able to penetrate the strong grip of her memory. Her shivers slowly begin to decrease as Gandalf explains things to the company.

"It has been quite a few years since I was last here, and I fear I forgot about the attack that took her father from her. Her mother was killed by wolves during the Fell winter…her father became distant and wandered often. Eventually he wandered into the Downs, taking Belinda with him, and became lost in fog. When night fell the Wights came for them, singing their haunting song. For reasons I cannot explain, as I do not understand myself, their song had no effect on Belinda and she was able to run away. It was a miracle she managed to find her way out of the fog and into the camp I had set up for that night."

Thorin gazed down at the now still form in his arms, a soft look on his face as he brushed honey-blonde curls out of her face. The rest of the company watched her as well, all of them feeling a sudden urge to protect and comfort her. A low and soft whine coming from her alerted them that she was waking from the memory. She began to try and move only to have Thorin's arms tighten around her and his deep baritone voice rumbling softly in her ear.

"Stay still Belinda. Rest, we will not move on this eve…we will remain here where it is safe."

His words seemed to have a soothing effect and she settled back into his arms with a soft sigh as sleep claimed her overly stressed mind. Thorin gave orders, softly so as not to wake Belinda, for the company to set up camp and keep the ponies close. He also had a double watch set up, with a dwarf on either side of the camp. Gandalf watched how tenderly he held Belinda close and felt a surge of hope well up within him that the two may yet become friends.


	3. Overly Affectionate Princes

Bejeweled

A/N: Yes I'm playing with cannon facts and changing things…but this is my version not Tolkien's, and as much as I adore his version I need to twist things to suit my ideas. ^.^ Fair warning…things will start taking a bit of an adult turn from here on out so some people may want to skip over some bits…though this chapter is pretty mild lol.

My thanks to the following:

PadawanCassy: Well thank you very much. The spoons was my favorite bit too lol. Yes there was a bit of sadness there but it was needed to make the dwarves feel even more attached to her ^.^.

Wolveyaon: Thank you. Sometimes an idea gets so persistent that it kind of erupts lol. Slowing it down and pacing it out is a challenge lol.

echoi5004(Guest): Women in my stories tend to be more assertive and fiery. There will be more of her history brought out in other chapters as well. Fili and Kili are just the tip of the iceburg…and Thorin has no idea what he's in for lol.

Anime Princess: True…not very pleasant ends for her parents but, it's part of what made her such a fierce little lady. And yes the dwarves are all becoming quite enamored by their little hobbit.

.Angel: Thank you for reading and I am glad you like it.

SharonH: Yay! I love hearing I won you over. Belinda is a little firecracker just waiting to go off lols.

Chapter 3

When Belinda woke the next morning she felt like she was sitting in a warm cocoon. When she tried to get up she found herself pinned down by a strong arm around her waist that held her even closer to the source of all the heat. Her head turned to the side and her neck arched so she could see whose lap she was in and her eyes widened when she met the deep blue eyes of Thorin. A bright red blush raced across her cheeks and she squirmed a bit, trying to get him to let go. His response was a slight hissing intake of breath between his teeth before releasing her, watching as she immediately ran to Gandalf's side while the wizard chuckled quietly.

After a bit of breakfast Thorin had the company packed up and on the move again, determined to get through the Downs and into safety before night could fall again. Belinda was shaking violently the closer they got to the fog and the two princes pulled their ponies in close on either side of her. Feeling their warmth radiating out made her feel safer and more calm as they entered the dense fog. The entire company stayed close together in a tight formation so that none would be separated or lost. A soft whimper from the little hobbit seemed to echo in silence around them. Fili and Kili each laid a hand on her shoulder and left them there to give her the courage to make it through the fog for the second time in her life. The look of relief on her face as they finally made it to the other side many hours later gave them both a warm feeling in their stomachs.

Thorin kept them moving for a few more hours until the sky began to turn colors with the beginning of the sunset. They found a small outcropping of rocks with an overhang large enough for them to all sleep under that night and Thorin called for them to make camp. While the dwarves set up camp Belinda made herself busy by setting up a fire and starting a hearty stew for them to eat with the last bits of meat she'd brought from home. As soon as it was done she made sure to feed Thorin and Gandalf first, followed swiftly by the princes and then the rest of the company. She smiled at Dwalin when his face softened.

"This smells wonderful Lassie."

Fili and Kili were eating their portions of stew, their eyes never leaving the form of the little she-hobbit as she went from one dwarf to the next to dish out food. They were surprised to notice that she took none for herself and instead wandered off into the trees with a lost look on her face. As soon as they finished their food Kili grabbed a plate and they went over to Belinda who had move to sit with the ponies. The princes were surprised to find her surrounded by the animals and being nuzzled while crooning softly at them all. Kili felt himself melting at the sight and a glance at his brother showed Fili to be faring no better.

"Belinda…we brought you a bowl of stew. Thought you might be hungry and Bombur was gonna eat it all soon anyway..."

Belinda looked up at them with a bright smile that left both of them feeling like pudding. Kili just knew he had a dopey little grin on his face but he couldn't make himself care when the golden haired lady was smiling like that. They each flopped down onto the log she sat on, one on either side of her, and watched her eat slowly. It was only after a few bites that she set the bowl down with a heavy sigh. The boys looked at each other over her head, concerned frowns upon their handsome faces.

"Is something wrong Belinda?"

"Are you not hungry?"

She gave them a somewhat strained smile and shook her head.

"I'm sorry to worry you both…I guess going through that place and seeing those memories again just…ruined my appetite for the day."

Kili put an arm around her shoulders at the sad look she gave them and pulled her into his chest, murmuring soft w in her ear as Fili's hands stroked along her back. Fili looked up and met Kili's eyes, a silent conversation passing between them before Fili's hands grew bolder and slid further down her back. Feeling his hand stop just above her behind made Belinda squirm slightly, unsure of how she wanted to react to this new development between her and the younger dwarves. Kili, sensing her unease, pulled her closer so that she was straddling his lap and chuckled softly as a bright red color flushed across her cheeks. Fili moved in behind her and she found herself sandwiched between the two heirs of the Durin line.

"W…what…are you…doing?"

Kili nuzzled his face into her neck and tried to hide the grin on his lips at her stammered out question. His voice ghosted over her left ear, and Fili's joined on her right ear, sending shivers down her spine and making her hands grip onto his leather jacket as they spoke in unison.

"We just want to make you feel better Belinda."

She flushed red again as Kili's hands slid around to cup the cheeks of her rear, while Fili's hands slid around her front to rub gently at her cloth-covered breasts. A soft mewling sound came from her and both males found their pants becoming just a bit tighter.

"By Mahal she's gonna be the death of us Kili."

Kili just nodded in response to his brother's statement, not quite sure he could form words at that point as the little hobbit squirmed in his lap and rubbed against his length. He could feel the wet heat of her even through the fabric of his pants and it only made him ache that much more. He watched with a wicked gleam in his eye as one of Fili's hands slid down her stomach and shared a look with his brother. The two of them were just about to slip their hands under her skirts when the deep rough voice of Dwalin reached their ears as he called for them. Kili cursed softly in dwarvish as the two of them set Belinda back on the log gently. Fili leaned in to whisper softly in her ear and both kissed her cheeks before they ran off back to camp.

"We'll continue this another time my Lady."

Belinda felt that her cheeks must have been glowing in the darkness from how deeply she was blushing as Dwalin came over to where she was. His deep voice shook her from her dazed state and she looked up at him slowly.

"Are ye alright Lass? Have ya seen those two trouble making princes about?"

Belinda nodded slowly and felt like her blush worsened.

"Y…yes. I'm alright…just a bit warm is all…they umm…they brought me dinner and…went back to camp."

Dwalin gave her a look that plainly stated he didn't buy it but he turned and left all the same, leaving the flustered little hobbit to collect herself in privacy. Back in the camp Fili and Kili sat away from the fire, both grinning uncontrollably while whispering to each other. Thorin had sent Dwalin to check on them after they took a bowl to the hobbit and never came back. He knew they were up to something but wasn't sure what exactly so he resolved to keep a closer eye on them.

Later that night Belinda gave up on trying to sleep with the horrid snoring coming from the sleeping dwarves. Instead she pulled an apple from her pack and went to her pony, Myrtle, giving her the treat as a peace offering of sorts. A horrid screech filled the air and she quickly scampered back into the camp.

"What was that?"

It was Kili who answered her, and he and Fili embellished it, their responses frightened her badly. When she heard the two snicker softly she rounded on them, mouth open as she was about to yell at them only to have Thorin's deep voice cut across and reprimand them both soundly. Belinda gave him a grateful look but he ignored her and went to the edge of camp. The story Balin told them all next left Belinda staring at Thorin in awe and no small amount of respect. Her curiosity led her to ask about the pale orc and Thorin swiftly assured everyone he was dead, but Belinda did not fail to see the look that passed between Balin and Gandalf. Belinda gave Fili and Kili a harsh glare before setting her bedroll next to Dwalin, knowing the two princes would not dare to risk making him angry. Dwalin not only allowed her to lay next to him but he even used his cloak to cover her which shocked most of the company, all save Thorin and Balin who had known him longest and could tell he had developed a soft spot for the little hobbit who showed no fear around him.

Soon all of the company settled back into sleep, all save Thorin who was too plagued by the memory of the battle to retake Moria. He stood watching over the lands below for some time before he found his gaze wandering to the little female of his company. He had thought a hobbit would be soft and timid, having no idea how to fight or hold their own, and had protested Gandalf's choice quite loudly. Now though, he had found that this one at least had all the best qualities of any dwarf. True she did not have much physical strength or skill with blades, but she had courage. Clearly she wasn't afraid to keep his mischievous nephews in line either which allowed him the luxury of not having to watch their every move lest they get into trouble…he still had to fight back a chuckle as he remembered their faces after she smacked them both with spoons. He had told Balin that honor, loyalty, and a willing heart were all he could ask of them…Belinda clearly had all of those and he knew he had been rude to her. A heavy sigh left him and he resolved to at least attempt to be kinder towards her…besides, everyone knew you should never anger the one that cooks your food.


	4. Pinches and an Angry She-Hobbit

Bejeweled

A/N: The updates are coming fairly quickly but this plot bunny refuses to take a break lol.

My thanks to the following:

Wolveyaon: Exactly what I keep telling my mom…be nice to me b/c I cook your meals lols.

Anime Princess: Belinda is going to be dealing with a lot of touchy Dwarves throughout this story lols. And yes…always be nice to the cook ^.^.

Chapter 4

The next day they were on the move…again. Belinda was glaring at the passing trees, feeling rather sore from all the long days of riding. Bofur had seen her rather unhappy look and decided to try and cheer her up if she'd let him. He pulled his pony along side hers and gave her a smile.

"You seem unhappy Belinda."

She turned and gave him a soft smile in return.

"Don't mind me Bofur…just a bit sore from the constant riding is all…not used to it you know."

Bofur frowned slightly but she continued on before he could respond.

"Since you're here I was wondering if I could ask you something…"

Bofur nodded and his grin widened.

"Of course ya can Lass…always happy to sate your curiosity."

Belinda laughed softly.

"Well…I was wondering…several of you dwarves have metal cuffs and other ear things…"

"Well yes…it's quite popular…especially among the warriors. I didn't think it was that odd little miss."

"No…not odd…but…does it hurt? I mean…are they painful to do?"

Bofur gave her a softer smile and shook his head.

"Not really…Dwarf heads are very resilient…hard to injure…though some get piercing in other body parts…and some of those can be…extremely painful…"

Bofur was cut off by a loud smack to the back of his head. He whipped around to find Dwalin glaring angrily at him before the warrior looked at Belinda with a decidedly soft expression.

"That is not something you ever talk about in the presence of a lady Bofur."

Bofur blushed a bit and let his pony fall back to ride with his brothers as Dwalin took his place beside Belinda. Her soft question had even Dwalin flushing red and spluttering to find a response.

"What kind of body parts did he mean, and why can't he talk about it in front of me?"

The flustered look on Dwalin's face had Thorin suppressing a chuckle of his own, though Gandalf was outright laughing with the rest of the company. Poor Belinda just looked adorably confused until the ever-helpful Kili leaned in and whispered in her ear. Thorin glared at his nephew when the little hobbit turned the color of a ripe tomato and nearly fell off her pony…only managing to stay on thanks to Fili grabbing her arm to keep her in the saddle. Her horrified response set them all into fits of laughter again, and this time Thorin couldn't hold back his own laugh of amusement.

"Why in the name of…what would possess someone to do that?!"

Later Thorin decided to fall to the back with Gandalf to discuss the path they would take. He stood to the side and counted heads as the group rode past, letting his nephews take the lead. Balin and Dwalin were talking about Erebor and he felt his own heart ache with longing. Gloin was weaving a tale of battle to his brother Oin, who had sneakily stuffed a cloth into his ear horn to muffle the sound and was nodding along in blissful ignorance. Dori and Nori were riding on either side of Ori, each of them holding the reins while Ori wrote away in his little journal. His older brothers were exchanging fond looks over the little scribe's head as he remained unaware and buried in his journal. Bofur and Bifur were next, Bifur gesturing wildly and ranting in Khuzdul while Bofur listened with a serene smile on his face. Following closely behind them was Bombur, quiet as he usually was but occasionally commenting on something Bifur mentioned.

Belinda and Gandalf were at the very back, riding together as they often did, and the sudden peals of light musical laughter caused the entire company to turn and look at their little hobbit. Little butterflies of colored light were dancing around her head and the sunlight filtering through the trees made her honey hair look like spun gold. Thorin felt his breath become stuck in his throat at the sight, a sudden urge to decorate that lovely hair making his fingers twitch.

"Gandalf, I would like to ride with you to discuss our path."

The wizard nodded and motioned Belinda forward, watching with a fond chuckle as she pouted before heading up to the very front to ride with Fili and Kili. The princes were delighted to have her riding between them again and managed to convince her to share stories of the trouble she and her cousins got into as fauntlings…which she explained to them is what hobbit children were called. The two soon began arguing, loudly, over which of them the hobbit liked best. Belinda shook her head at them with a look that was half fond amusement and half exasperation. Thorin saw the expression as she turned to look back at Gandalf and found himself chuckling softly.

"I know that look well…I've worn it myself on many occasions in dealing with my nephews."

Gandalf smiled in his own amusement and nodded sagely.

"Yes…those two are quite the handful…I do believe Belinda has them well in hand…"

A sudden thumping sound, followed by a pair of startled yelps, reached their ears and Thorin looked up to the front of the line to see his nephews rubbing the backs of their heads and a rather irritated Belinda standing off to the side of the trail tucking her wooden spoons back into their slots in her pack. Thorin's deep laughter rumbled over the group and sparked a round of 'pick on the princes' from the other dwarves. Belinda, still quite cross with the boys, took up a spot on the other side of Thorin and scowled at the princes' backs.

"Do I even want to ask what they did to rouse your fiery temper little hobbit?"

Belinda huffed at him in annoyance, but her glare held none of the anger he expected to see there.

"My name is Belinda dwarf. As for those two little louts…I have half a mind to tie their braids to their horses' saddles."

His lips twitched at the amusing image that declaration brought to his mind, and his mirth was clear in his deep voice as he spoke to her softly so the others would not hear them.

"And just what did they do to deserve such a harsh punishment…little Belinda?"

She gave him an almost amused eye-roll.

"Well…better than little hobbit at any rate. They…well…umm…they pinched me."

Her bright red cheeks gave Thorin a very good idea as to where they had decided to pinch her, but seeing her angry and flustered was too good to pass up a chance for teasing.

"That isn't so bad…I fail to see why that upset you so much little one."

She looked at him sideways and then looked away again as her blush deepened.

"They pinched….my umm…my rear…most indecent of them…everyone could have seen…very improper."

Thorin turned to give Gandalf an amused look only to find the wizard had moved to the front of the line and left him alone with the female. A sudden thought crossed his mind, a wicked and highly improper thought, that he decided to act on. He reached over while the hobbit was ranting about how improper his nephews were and gently pinched her rear himself. The shocked look on her face as she turned to look at him was more than worth the earful he was positive he was about to receive from her and decided to tease her even further. He lowered his voice to a deeper rumble ans whispered softly to her.

"Is it still so improper if one is certain no others can see little one?"

Her little enraged splutter as she reached for her wooden spoons caused him to let out a deep rich laugh before spurring his pony into a quick run to the front of the line, her angry little voice following him the entire way as she screamed at him.

"Get back here you cowardly dwarf! I should string you up by your beard!"

Her yelling continued on in that vein as Gandalf looked at him with a raised eyebrow, mirrored by Balin behind him, while Dwalin winced at a comment the angry female made about castration.

"What exactly did you say to make the little lass so angry?"

Thorin chuckled at Dwalin and shook his head slightly.

"It is not what I said my friend, but rather what I did."

"And what was that then hmm?"

A wolfish grin spread over the king's lips as he looked back at the still ranting hobbit, whom most of the company was keeping away from lest her anger be turned on them. Only Bofur was brave enough to go near her, mainly because he knew she liked his stories and wouldn't hurt him.

"I merely followed the example of my nephews."

The boys in question heard this and flushed bright red before bursting into laughter of their own.

"Uncle…tell me you did not…oh no wonder she's steaming mad…"

"She was mad enough at us…but now…"

The boys shuddered and resolved to avoid the angry little hobbit for the rest of that night…and possibly the next couple of days. Especially after another loud threat against the Durin family jewels echoed up from the back, followed by a round of merry laughter form Bofur. Gandalf shook his head at Thorin and frowned as a burnt out farm house came into view.


	5. Trolls, Wargs, and Rivendell

Bejeweled

My thanks to the following:

Anime Princess: All men should fear an angry woman. I have no idea where the Durin family jewels thing came from lol…It popped into my head and I had to put it in there.

echoi5004 (Guest): My version of Thorin is able to let go a little bit around those he cares for…though he's still a bit of a grumpy pain in the arse…lovable though he is ^.^. His nephews aren't the only ones that are gonna make her crazy lol.

Chapter 5

After trying, and failing, to get Thorin to move on Gandalf stormed off and left the company. Belinda was nerve-wracked and clearly upset by this development which only served to further sour Thorin's mood. Bofur was on stew duty that night and asked Belinda to take bowls to Fili and Kili, both of whom were stuck watching the ponies for the night. As she walked up to them she noticed they were standing completely still and had rather panicked expressions on their faces.

"I umm…brought you both some stew…is something wrong?"

They looked at her with wide eyes and sheepish looks.

"We're supposed to be watching the ponies…"

"…Only we've encountered a slight problem."

"We had sixteen…"

"…Now there's fourteen."

Belinda took a moment to process those words and frowned.

"We should tell Thorin about this."

"No…no, no, let's not worry him."

"We were rather hoping you might look into it for us…as our official burglar."

Upon seeing the massive tree that was snapped, and another uprooted completely, the color drained from her face and she started shaking her head. Fili spotted a light ahead and the two dwarves headed towards it, Belinda following them with an aggravated sigh and hoping she could keep them out of trouble. Sadly for her she was the one that ended up in trouble thanks to them pushing her towards a troll camp fire and telling her to try and free the ponies while they went back to the others. She atried to untie the ropes penning the, now four, ponies in but the knots were too tight for her little fingers. Spotting a knife, sword to her eyes, on one of the troll's sides she attempted to stealthily sneak in and grab it only to end up being used as a handkerchief. She was so disgusted that she failed to move for a few moments and by time she did it was too late and she was hanging upside down with one leg in the grip of a troll's hand. She was embarrassed by the position she was in and trying to figure out how to get down when she heard Kili's angry voice from below. Relief surged through her and she gave him a hopeful look.

"Drop her!"

"You What?"

"I said…drop her."

The troll tossed her on top of Kili who dropped his sword in order to catch her. He quickly rolled her into the bushes as the rest of the company stormed the clearing and attacked the trolls. She watched in awe as the dwarves fought fluidly together, and with such grace and elegance, that she almost forgot about the ponies…until she heard them start screaming in fear. She immediately left the relative safety of the bushes and grabbed what looked like one of Fili's daggers to cut the ropes, trying to reassure the ponies until finally the ropes gave and the ponies could return to the rest of the small herd. Unfortunately one of the trolls spotted her and she was soon held by the three brutes in a spread-eagle position while they threatened to rip her arms off. She saw Thorin hold back and enraged Kili, and the look on Thorin's face was nothing short of murderous as he threw down his sword.

Belinda had had many unpleasant experiences in her life but being stuffed inside a smelly burlap sack and tossed practically into Thorin's lap while Kili's head landed in her own lap…that had to be near the top of her list. Seeing half of her dwarves, and yes they were hers now, being turned on a spit over a fire made her want to cry. She heard the trolls arguing about cooking methods and seasonings until one mentioned not wanting to be turned to stone because dawn was close. Suddenly she had an idea and rolled away from the rest and struggled to her feet. She started trying to distract the trolls by suggesting skinning first and when one grabbed poor Bombur and was going to eat him raw she lost it.

"Not that one…he's infected…he's got worms in his…tubes. In fact they all have. It's a terrible business I wouldn't risk it."

When Kili started to contradict her she barely resisted the urge to glare at him until she heard a soft thump, assuming Thorin had intervened as he was smarter than his nephew, and his attitude changed. Soon the dwarves were boasting over who had the bigger parasites which almost made her laugh. The smartest troll, which isn't saying much all things considered, caught onto her plan but it was too late for them. Gandalf split the rock and sunlight flooded the clearing, turning the trolls to solid stone and saving them all from becoming food. She heard Thorin and Gandalf talking and decided to check on the princes and reassure herself that they were both unharmed.

"Boys…you two alright?"

They glanced at each other and pulled her into a tight hug between them, their noses buried into her honey colored hair as their hands started roaming her body to check for injuries. She smacked their hands and put her own on her hips.

"I'm not hurt save for a few scratches so there is no need to molest me you little trouble makers."

The two made an attempt to look innocent but it failed since she now knew them too well to fall for it anymore. They sighed softly and just hugged her again, whispering softly in her ears that they were glad she was okay and thanking her for helping them. When Thorin came over and started to berate her for going into a dangerous situation alone the boys defended her and took the blame on themselves…which was where it should have been because they were the ones that shoved her out on her own…she had wanted to tell Thorin at the start and said so. The leader's scowl softened a bit and he gently clasped her shoulder for a moment before everyone headed off to try and find the troll's cave…but nothing could have prepared Belinda for the unholy stench that came from within that darkness. She would have said something but Bofur beat her to it and she had to bite her lip to keep from giggling.

"What is that aweful smell?"

"It's a troll hoard master dwarf."

Gandalf sounded exasperated and amused at once which made Belinda lose her battle and giggle softly. She chose to remain outside of the smelly cave, and was pleasantly surprised when Kili and Kili joined her.

"Aren't you two interested in what treasures are inside?"

They shared a look and then grinned at her, making her give them each a suspicious look.

"How could anything in that stinking hole possibly compare to the lovely golden haired angel we have out here?"

Belinda flushed bright red at Kili's words, said blush going even darker as Fili's hand started to slide down her spine. She jumped up and ran towards the cave, muttering about inappropriate dwarf princes. The boys shared an amused look and leaned against a tree as they waited for the rest to come back outside. Gandalf came out with a sword strapped to his waist and a smaller one in his hands. The smaller one he handed to Belinda who shook her head at him.

"I've never used a sword Gandalf…"

"The blade is of elvish make which means it will glow blue when orcs or goblins are near."

Belinda realized he was giving her not only a weapon to defend herself, but also an early warning of certain dangers. She gave him a grateful smile and noticed a distinctly elvish blade at Thorin's side which made her snort softly and whisper to Gandalf.

"Does he know that sword is elven?"

"He does…he also realizes it is indeed a fine blade…though not without some mild persuasion."

Belinda shook her head and ran to the others when they heard something coming closer and quickly. It turned out to be an odd man on a sled pulled by large rabbits. Gandalf introduced him as Radagast the brown and Belinda couldn't help but like him, despite his odd behavior. A sudden howl had her looking at Bofur as terror seized in her chest.

"Was that a wolf? Are there wolves out there?"

All she could think of, all she could see or hear, was the night her mother was killed defending her from a pack of wolves. Bofur's shaky voice brought her back to the present.

"Wolf? No that is not a wolf."

A deep menacing growl behind her caused her to turn in fear as a huge warg charged at her. She was sure it was going to eat her until Dwalin's giant battle hammer embedded itself in the beast's head and killed it. Her eyes met the warrior's and he pulled her close to him as Kili shot an arrow at one that was sneaking up on Thorin from behind, Thorin then drove his blade into its neck.

"Warg scouts, which means an orc pack is not far behind."

Belinda gave him a terrified look and made a comment before Gandalf started in on him asking who he had told and saying they were being hunted. Then sweet Ori told them the ponies had bolted and Dwalin grumbled unhappily.

"I'll draw them off."

Gandalf gave his fellow wizard an incredulous look.

"These are Gundabad wargs…they will outrun you."

The haughty look and tone that Radagast answered him with caused Belinda to snicker for a moment before her fear returned.

"These are Rosgobel rabbits…I'd like to see them try."

Gandalf led them to the edge of the trees as Radagast burst onto the plain and the wargs followed quickly. The clearly insane wizard was laughing and whooping in excitement while Gandalf grumbled before urging them all to run. They ran from one outcropping of rock to another until they paused and a warg with an orc rider stood atop their hiding place. Thorin gave Kili and his bow a pointed look and said dwarf stepped out and shot the warg. Both enemies fell to the ground and the dwarves attacked, but Belinda knew the screams of the dying orc would have alerted the rest of the pack to their location. Gandalf also knew this for he urged them to run. They reached a large rock and realized they were surrounded. Belinda pulled out her small bow and stood next to Kili as the two began shooting at any foe that came too close. Unfortunately it didn't take long for the orcs to realize that Belinda was not only the smallest, but also a female and therefore a better target.

A group of the enemy charged towards her and Kili, who tried to push her behind him to protect her. One of them managed to get past the dwarf and Belinda found herself pinned under a snarling warg, hearing her bow snap under the weight of it's massive paws. A strangled cry of fear and anger reached her ears as she tried to reach the blade Gandalf had given her, the cry had come from Fili as he launched himself at the warg and stabbed it in the head before shoving it off of her. Fili reached down and scooped Belinda up into his arms before running back towards the rock, sliding into the secret tunnel behind the rest of the company and shortly followed by Kili and Thorin. Belinda was shaking violently as she curled into Fili's chest with a soft whimper of pain that made him hold her closer.

The sound of a hunting horn followed by the sounds of battle reached them, and an orc falling into the tunnel with an arrow in it's neck made Thorin curious. He pulled the arrow out and spat the word 'elves' like it was poison to him. Gandalf shook his head with a soft sigh and when the rest of the company decided to follow the narrow rocky path he agreed that it would be wise. Fili refused to put Belinda on the ground, even when Thorin gave him an odd look and questioned him why.

"She's hurt…and she got that way while defending us."

Thorin gave him an approving nod and most of them breathed a sigh of relief when they emerged from the tunnel…until they realized where they were and Gandalf confirmed this.

"The valley of Imladris, the last Homely House east of the sea. In the common tongue it is known by another name."

Belinda's breathy and awed whisper of 'Rivendell' made Thorin scowl at her and then growl angrily at Gandalf. The two exchanged heated words until they finally began to descend into the peaceful valley. Fili still carried Belinda, a fact she was grateful for as she wasn't sure her legs would hold her up…the pain in her right leg was bad enough being carried. She heard the hunting horn again and watched the dwarves become defensive as they were surrounded by elves on horseback. Gandalf and the obvious leader of these elves exchanged fond greetings in elvish and then the leader, now known to her as Lord Elrond, spoke in elvish which made the dwarves ask if they were being offered an insult.

"No master Gloin he is offering you food."

Belinda was amazed at how quickly the word food changed their attitudes and made them more compliant and polite. Fili heard another soft whimper come from her and it emboldened him to step up to the elven leader.

"I would like to ask if you have a healer that can help our friend and companion. She was injured by a warg and I do not know how bad it is but I do know she needs help and soon."

Lord Elrond looked at the little hobbit and gave her a soft smile before bowing slightly.

"I will tend to her personally master dwarf. I can take her to the healing rooms for you."

Fili and Kili both growled softly and Gandalf snorted at their behavior.

"Elrond is the greatest healer in all of Middle Earth…he will not harm her and I'm sure you will see her again when we sit down to supper."

Lord Elrond agreed and Fili, reluctantly, handed the little female to the elf lord. The dwarves were led away to a large room where elves were setting up padded cots for them all to sleep on that night, though they noticed there were no cots for Gandalf or Belinda. Gandalf explained that he had his own room when he visited the elven city, and that Belinda being a female meant they would give her a separate room to herself right across the hall from the one they were in. Everyone relaxed and removed most of their weapons and armor, leaving themselves in breeches and tunics so as to be more comfortable in the safety of the city.

Later they all sat at a large table, save Thorin who sat with Gandalf at a smaller table where Elrond would join them. Oin stuffed a cloth into his ear horn to muffle the sound of the elven flute playing behind him, and Dori was trying to get Ori to eat some of the lettuce on his plate.

"Try it, just a mouthful."

"I don't like green food."

Dwalin just grumbled about not having meat. All heads turned as the sound of musical laughter floated out of the shadows by the door. Lord Elrond stepped out and went to sit at the smaller table, a small smile on his face as he spoke.

"Your companion is healing well already and should be fully recovered by tomorrow night."

As Belinda stepped out into the light all of the dwarves found their breaths lodged in their throats at the sight of her. Her hair gleamed like the finest spun gold as it fell around her like a silken curtain. Her brown eyes looked at them shyly and moved towards the table slowly, an elegant little gown in dark blue hugged her curves. Thorin felt his mouth go dry and he could not tear his eyes away from her as she sat next to Balin. Only Elrond's voice speaking about Gandalf's sword pulled him out of his study. Hearing the history of the two elvish blades made him respect his own a bit more than before. Belinda felt a bit nervous until the dwarves went back to their conversations. She could heard Elrond talking about the swords and looked at her own blade, sighing softly as Balin's words confirmed what she already knew.

Several hours later she was standing by Thorin's side as Elrond informed them that it would be a few days until the moon was at the right phase to read the runes on the map he carried. This seemed to put him in a sour mood again and Belinda made sure to keep quiet so as not to make him angry. Once they rejoined the company Thorin relayed what they had learned and a mix of groans and relieved sighs met his ears. He knew the rest would do them all good, but he still was not happy to be in an elven city…though the sight of Belinda in that gown was enough to make him think it just might be worth it. He watched her give her goodnights to the company and head across the hall to her room, only waiting until the rest of the company was distracted before following her.


	6. Braids and Jewels

Bejeweled

A/N: I know the updates are coming quickly but this story refuses to stop being written for very long and the ideas just keep coming…something that is not always the case for me so enjoy it while it lasts everyone.

Chapter 6

The knock at her door startled Belinda and she quickly opened it to see Thorin looking down at her with those deep blue eyes.

"May I come in Belinda?"

She stammered a bit and stepped aside so he could enter the room, noticing how he seemed to dominate the small space without even trying. She leaned back against the now closed door and looked up at him nervously, her fingers playing with the fluttery sleeves of the gown the elves gave her. Thorin noticed absently that the color matched his tunic as he moved closer to her, crowding her against the door. Her pretty brown eyes looked up at him as his hand ran gently along her jaw.

"Thorin?"

Her voice was soft and nervous, and it made his eyes darken as he leaned in closer and ran his nose along the crown of her hair. He felt her shiver against him and pulled back to look at her face, her eyes had fallen shut and her mouth was slightly open. He gently pulled her towards a chair by the fireplace in her room, sitting in it and setting her on the footstool in front of him. He had her back to him and whispered in her ear, noting the shiver that ran through her as his breath ghosted over her pointed little ear. His voice was low and deep, filled with something she found she could not quite name.

"Will you allow me the honor of braiding your hair?"

She turned slightly to look over her shoulder at him, his darkened eyes and slightly nervous expression made him seem far less intimidating to her in that moment and she nodded silently. His fingers gently ran through her hair and massaged her scalp bringing out a soft mewl that went straight down his spine. He carefully separated her hair into smaller sections and began braiding each section, placing some of his spare beads at the ends. He carefully twisted two of the braids up around the crown of her head like a wreath. The rest he curled into little loops that he pinned to the crown braids. The pins he used had been made by his own hand and were carried in a pouch at his side, just waiting for when he would find his One and weave the braids of claiming into her hair. Each pin was crafted in silver twists and carried a large gemstone; ruby, sapphire, emerald, topaz, and the one he placed at the very front held a large Opal that shimmered with an inner fire. The last braid was a single plait in front of her left ear which he left free of the others, and at the end of this braid he placed a very special bead that had the crest of his line etched into it with gold inlayed in the etching…the crest of the Durin family line. He knew Belinda would not know the meaning of it but the rest of the company would, especially his nephews, and would keep their hands to themselves where she was concerned.

"I have finished little one."

She turned to face him and the firelight played across her hair making them gems glitter. His breath hitched audibly and his eyes darkened further before he wrapped a large hand gently around the back of her neck to pull her closer to him. Her own eyes darkened a bit as his lips closed over her own in a gentle kiss that still left her breathless. His deep voice rumbled in her ears again and she felt herself melting forward into his chest.

"You look absolutely stunning my little hobbit."

She smiled against the skin of his throat and curled her fingers in his tunic before looking up at him again.

"You…you really think so?"

He gave her a soft intimate look but instead of answering her question with words he pulled her in for another kiss. This time he deepened the kiss and his tongue ran across her lips which she parted with a soft gasp of air. His tongue explored her mouth, the sweet taste of her making him groan. Belinda nipped gently at his lower lip and grinned mischievously at the growl he gave her.

"Be careful my little hobbit…playing with fire can be dangerous."

"I think I can handle you…my King."

Her fiery look and softly spoken words set his skin aflame and made a deep growl come from his throat before he claimed her mouth in harder kiss. She arched into him and he swiftly moved them to the bed, lifting her up and carrying her there before gently laying her down upon the soft mattress. Her little hands tangled in his hair as his mouth trailed kisses down her neck and across her bared shoulders. She lifted herself up and closer to the warmth of his body, his fingers trailing fire down her back as he unlaced the back of the gown. As the fabric slipped from her body and revealed her upper body to his hungry gaze she felt a warmth pooling in her belly as he moved in and suckled at her breasts, taking care to lavish each with plenty of attention. The feel of his hair trailing over the skin of her sides and his beard scratching gently against her tender breasts left her panting softly and clinging tightly to his tunic. A sudden urge gripped her and she tugged at the offending fabric in her hands with a soft whine that brought an indulgent laugh from him before he removed it and tossed it to the side. His muscled chest was covered in soft hair and she ran her fingers across those muscles with happy little mewling sounds.

Thorin gently removed the remainder of the gown and her underclothing, tossing them to the side with his tunic before gazing down at her. Belinda felt nervous again as his eyes roamed over her bare body, a nervousness he quickly dispelled with the soft and almost reverent way he spoke. She wasn't sure if he meant to say the words aloud but they made her glow all the same.

"My little golden goddess…By Mahal I do not deserve such beauty."

She opened her mouth to protest his worth and ended up releasing a short cry of shocked pleasure as one of his hands cupped against the heat between her thighs. She squirmed under his hand and whined softly, not entirely sure what it was she wanted but knowing instinctively that he wasn't doing whatever it was. He claimed her lips in a harsher kiss, swallowing the moan that erupted from her as his fingers parted the folds of skin and rubbed gently and slowly at the little nub of nerves. He moved to trail kisses down her body until he reached the little patch of golden hair above where his hand was rubbing.

His eyes locked onto hers and she saw a wicked gleam of mischief in those darkened eyes. She was about to ask what he was planning when he licked a trail of fire across her nether lips, eliciting a high keening cry from her lips. He continued his assault on her most intimate place making her senses whirl and jumble until all she could feel was him and what he was doing to her. When she felt one of his thick fingers slip inside of her she moaned loudly and heard him answer in kind, moving the finger in and out a few times before adding a second one. With those two fingers moving inside of her she felt a heated pressure building deep inside of her that both excited and frightened her. Thorin felt her body tensing up and moved so that he laid beside her and ran the fingers of his other hand across her skin, his lips trailing kisses along her neck. He curled the two fingers and moved them against a bundle of nerves inside of her that make her gasp for air as spots danced in her vision.

"Th…Thorin…please…I can't…"

He hushed her softly and nuzzled his nose against her throat. He felt her muscles tighten further and covered her mouth with his own as she screamed out in the bliss of her release. He continued moving his fingers and let his thumb rub circles around her clit, bringing her to a second peak and making her fingers dig into his skin as her little teeth bit into his shoulder to stifle her cries. He gently let her rest back into the soft pillows and pulled her close so that her head rested upon his chest, right over his heart so that beating of it could soothe her. She curled into him more and he felt her breathless panting slow down as sleep began to try and claim her. A soft murmur of sound from her made him chuckle softly and hold her closer.

"No my little one…you need not worry for me. I will be content with this until you are ready. Sleep now little one, I will be here when you wake."

He felt her muscles go lax and her hands loosen as sleep finally claimed her, though he himself remained awake for some time just watching her sleep. He knew his nephews were interested in her, but for them it was a passing fancy that would fade swiftly when they realized she was his One. Younger dwarves tended to be a bit more free with their affections, at least until they found their One and began to court them.

Thorin sighed softly, knowing he would eventually have to explain the braids to Belinda but he wasn't entirely sure how she would take the information. He hoped she would accept him and the image that suddenly came into his mind, of Belinda in a bejeweled white gown walking towards him through the halls of Erebor, made him ache with longing both for her and for his lost home. He planned to claim one and reclaim the other, but he would wait for her to be ready as he had told her…it would do him no good if he frightened her away from him after all.


	7. Travel and Danger

Bejeweled

A/N: Sorry it took so long to get this posted but I pulled a muscle in my shoulder and couldn't move it for awhile…no typing, no reaching for things, not even the mouse. Try going through life with only one usable arm for a couple weeks…I give major props to those who have to live their entire lives that way, I don't know how they do it but they are far more patient than I am.

My Thanks to the Following for their reviews:

Caramelcandylover, Momo44 (guest), Wolveyaon, Ladymoonscar, Anime Princess, SharonH, Kilataia, Life Sucks 4 Me, VampWolf92, Ravenclaw Slytherin, Abyss Prime, LadyBlackroseMusketeer, markstn41, dareagon.

Chapter 7

They spent a few more peaceful days in Rivendell. Belinda and Thorin had developed a slight routine where he would braid her hair every morning, always in the same pattern. Belinda had developed a habit of picking the flowers that grew around Rivendell and tucking them into the tightly woven braids. Thorin, at first, thought it to be silly…until she curled up next to him by the fire one evening and he was surrounded by the scent of the flowers mingled with her own natural sent. The combination was nearly overwhelming and he ended up taking her to bed much earlier than usual, not that she complained at all.

One morning, before the poor sun had even managed to think about rising, Belinda felt someone shaking her shoulders and reacted on instinct. One of her hands came out from under her blanket and swatted at the offending person, her hand meeting a lightly furred cheek with a satisfying smack.

"Ow!"

"Shh…we need to be quiet."

"But she hit me!"

Fili's voice was filled with laughter, even as he tried to keep his brother quiet. Belinda rolled her eyes and turned over to glare at them both.

"You could have been less of a lout about waking me up Kili…and why are we getting up before the sun?"

"We're leaving now. Gandalf will try and distract the White Council for a time, but eventually they will realize what we plan to do. Uncle Thorin said the elves will try to politely keep us here if we take too long."

Belinda sighed softly. The two of them were crouched down next to her bed, Kili rubbing his cheek and pouting at her, both fully outfitted and ready to travel.

"I'm quite positive the words 'politely keep us here' never left Thorin's lips Fili. It was more likely he was curding."

"Aye, there was quite a bit of colorful language involved. None of which is fit for a wee Hobbit lass's ears."

She just huffed softly at him and moved to get up.

"Alright, just give me a few minutes to dress and pack."

"No need to worry, we already packed everything for you Belinda."

The two young dwarves looked so proud of themselves that she didn't have the heart to try and explain why that was improper. Instead she thanked them and shooed them out of the room so she could dress, once done she packed her night dress and double checked to make sure nothing essential was left behind. It pained her to leave all of the pretty Elven dresses behind, but she knew there was no way to take them with her, her pack was heavy enough as it was.

As they left the Valley of Rivendell Belinda couldn't help but cast a longing glance back towards the warm safety they were leaving. The home of Lord Elrond was peaceful in a way she'd never experienced before, and she silently promised herself that she would come back here one day.

"Belinda, keep up."

She turned to glace at Thorin, his expression unreadable and tone neutral, and she sighed softly. Well, at least he was using her name instead of calling her Halfling. When they finally stopped for the night she sat next to Thorin, both of them maintaining a comfortable silence as he started re-braiding her hair. Thorin knew he'd eventually have to explain the braids to her, and he prayed to Mahal that she wouldn't outright reject him.

It wasn't until much later that Belinda cornered Fili and Kili while the three of them hunted for firewood.

"Fili? Why does Thorin insist on being the only one allowed to braid my hair?"

She tilted her head in curiosity as both males froze in place, looking much like startled deer.

"Well…that's something Thorin should be the one to explain…Braids are special to dwarves…very important…Every dwarf's braids are unique to them and have significance to their life and experiences."

"Oh…so me asking the rest of the company to braid my hair was…improper?"

Fili nodded slightly.

"You couldn't have known…we Dwarves are secretive…but it would be like one of them asking to comb the hair on your feet."

Her face flushed bright red and she actually shuddered, hoping the darkness hid her reactions. It didn't but the boys left it alone, resolving to tell Thorin about it later. Kili chimed in quickly to keep her from feeling awkward.

"There are special braids as well. The ones Fili and I have in the front mark us as our Uncle's heirs, especially Fili which is why he has a more elaborate bead there than I do."

"Thorin doesn't have any children?"

Kili fell to the ground laughing while Fili chuckled softly.

"Obviously not Lass. Thorin's never found his One, and so has never settled down."

"His One?"

"Every dwarf has a soul mate somewhere in Middle Earth, most find their One in another dwarf, though some find theirs in other races…never an elf mind you…and a few are unlucky enough to never find their One at all."

Kili chimed back in, bringing the topic back to braids yet again.

"When a dwarf comes of age they are taught to make their first bead and create their own unique braiding style. The coming of age Braid is always directly behind an ear and often woven into the rest of the braiding pattern."

Belinda looked thoughtfully at the two of them before asking more questions, the two younger dwarves were a fountain of interesting information.

"Neither of you have such a braid…does that mean you're not of age yet?"

"Exactly…mother was in a complete fit when Thorin let us join the quest."

"She didn't speak to him until we were about to leave, and even then it was only to warn him to keep us safe or face her wrath."

"Dwarf women can be very frightening when angry."

Belinda giggled at their horrified looks.

"So how old are you two then?"

"I'm 77 and he's 82…and why do you look so surprised Belinda?"

"Aparently I'm the youngest member of this company…I'll have to ask Ori if he knows the exact date…"

The boys both looked floored and she couldn't stop herself from giggling yet again.

"How can you be the youngest? You look older than us…You act a lot older too."

"Maturity has nothing to do with age Kili. Hobbits don't have as long a life-span as dwarves do so we mature at a younger age."

"How long do Hobbits live?"

"Exactly how old are you then?"

She shook her head and ignored their questions.

"I refuse to answer either of those questions at this time…so, what about the braids in your mustache Fili?"

"Ah, those are…"

"Those are because he's vain."

Kili's interjection started a wrestling match on the forest floor and Belinda rolled her eyes at them before heading back to camp alone. Once she got there Thorin swiftly moved to her side looking concerned.

"Why did you come back alone? You could have been hurt."

"It was only about 50 feet Thorin, I doubt I'd be killed that close to camp…besides, the boys are wrestling again."

The whole camp could hear the sounds of the two bickering in the distance and Thorin growled softly. He sent Bifur to drag them back and guided Belinda to a more shadowed corner of the camp. He had seen her thoughtful look and hoped his nephews hadn't revealed anything troubling.

"Is something on your mind Belinda?"

"I asked them about braiding and why everyone else had avoided me when I asked. They said its special for dwarves and every braid has significance."

"That is all true Belinda, though few ever know any of this as dwarves do not share much of our culture."

When her wide eyes turned up to meet his Thorin momentarily forgot how to breathe.

"Thorin? Why…did you offer to braid mine for me…and do mine…have any significance?"

Her questions were so soft and hesitant that Thorin hugged her close to him.

"I offered because I feel drawn to you my little hobbit. I find myself wanting to see you smile, and wanting to be the reason for that smile. The pattern of your braids has significance, yes. It signifies that you are under the direct protection of the line of Durin, my line and family. However, this one here…"

His fingers trailed over the single braid hanging in front of her ear, his fingertips brushing the tip or her pointed ear and making her shiver violently. He purposely brushed the tip of her ear a second time, watching her shiver again as it sent a wave of heat curling through her body.

"This braid shows every dwarf that I am intending to court you, that is why it is secured with a bead bearing the crest of Durin's line."

His voice had gone deep and dark, and Belinda was helpless to fight the pull she felt towards him as she curled into his warm body. She turned to look at Ori, the company scribe, and gave him a soft smile.

"Ori? Would you be able to tell me if the days have passed into September yet?"

Ori nodded quickly and spoke his soft warm voice.

"Yes, it's a week into September now. Why do you ask?"

"Oh no reason…I just wanted to check if it had passed my birthday or not."

Thorin turned her to face him, his blue eyes looking intense as Fili and Kili came closer now that they were back.

"Has it?"

Belinda nodded and smiled at Thorin.

"It has, but don't worry I always celebrate alone."

Hearing that made Thorin's heart tighten painfully in his chest, his look of pained disbelief mirrored on the faces of the rest of the company. Dwarven birthdays were celebrated by all family and friends, and involved feasting for the days before and after as well. Belinda had looked off into the distance, her mind lost in thought for the moment. She was now 52, middle aged for a hobbit but clearly young for a dwarf. She wondered how Thorin would react to know her age, and resolved not to tell him unless he asked her directly.

The next day dawned bright, but by that time they were already walking again. Thorin had been watching his nephews, who were studiously avoiding him so he knew they were hiding something. He only hoped whatever they were planning wouldn't cause any dmage to the company. He winced at a particularly painful memory and caught a raised eyebrow from Dwalin. He only muttered a single phrase and Dwalin nodded in understanding. They both remembered the first time the boys had used real swords, and easily remembered the screaming of their mother as she boxed their ears. When Gandalf rejoined them and called for a break, to rest is old bones as he put it, Thorin dragged both of his nephews into the small copse of trees nearby.

"What are you two trying to hide from me?"

They gave him sheepish looks and Fili quickly told him everything they told Belinda the night before, and everything she had told them as well. He was amused about her reaction to the combing of foot hair, he'd have to ask her about that next time they had privacy. When they mentioned the part about hobbit life spans he frowned a bit, wondering how old she actually was, though he had a feeling she might not be willing to share that information. When they returned to the fire Thorin pulled a surprised, but unresisting, Belinda into his lap. He glanced over at Gandalf and snorted softly, the old man's pipe was puffing out twisting curls of blue and gold smoke. Belinda had turned to look and had a wide-eyed look on her face.

"I didn't know you could make the smoke turn colors Gandalf."

"Oh yes my dear…but only because I am a wizard."

He gave her a little wink and she laughed lightly, curling back against Thorin with a happy sigh.

The next day they made their way through a rocky and snowy pass in the Misty Mountains and Belinda was cursing herself for ever leaving Rivendell. The mountain was freezing cold, the wind was freezing cold, and as an added bonus it was pouring rain which was also freezing cold. She'd now lost feeling in her feet altogether and only knew they were still there by looking down to check once in awhile.

She screamed when she nearly got knocked off the mountain by a boulder…as if they weren't miserable enough they now had to deal with stone giants. Her heart was in her mouth when the one she was standing on started moving and then crashed into the side of the mountain. She swore she could hear Thorin screaming her name over the sound of the storm. She found herself dangling from the side of the mountain, unable to call out for help as she was frozen in fear. Bofur's face peeked over the side of the mountain and he reached for her, telling her to take his hand. She tried but almost lost her grip and resorted to clinging tightly once more.

"I can't…I can't reach."

She felt a strong arm grab hold of her and thrust her up to Bofur's waiting hands, turning back in time to see Dwalin pulling Thorin back up from the edge.

"I thought we'd lost our burglar there for a minute."

For a moment she thought Thorin was going to yell, or scream in anger, but he picked her up and held her tightly to his chest. She hugged him back and buried her face in the fur of his coat. When she no longer felt rain pouring over her she looked up and blinked rapidly; they'd found a cave to hide in until the storm blew itself out a bit. She wished Gandalf hadn't decided to go scouting ahead of the rest of them because a warm fire would have been more than welcome. Thorin kept her in his lap, where she curled closer into his warmth, determined not to let her get away from him again. He had almost lost her and the thought terrified him more than he'd expected it to. Eventually they all managed to fall asleep in spite of being cold, wet, and hungry.


End file.
